Amaco Ancient Jasper Question

I'm anxious to try this glaze. It seems to be one that acts very differently if it's vertical, rather than horizontal. At my supplier, one of the staff had a sculptural piece that she did in Ancient Jasper and it was amazing.

I'm wondering though, for those who've used it, do you think that this pic is accurate, from your experience?

I'm anxious to try this glaze. It seems to be one that acts very differently if it's vertical, rather than horizontal. At my supplier, one of the staff had a sculptural piece that she did in Ancient Jasper and it was amazing.

I'm wondering though, for those who've used it, do you think that this pic is accurate, from your experience?

It looks pretty much like my results but I would add that I place the pieces with this glaze in the middle of the bottom kiln shelf. It seems to need a slightly cooler location. I fire to cone 6.

I've been using this glaze over a year now and it didn't start out well. Here's what I found: First the clay makes a big difference. I settled on b-mix or cone 5 porcelain as I get consistently nice finishes. I also dip my pieces so I just hold them in for a 4 count. Fast fire to cone 5 as the engineer suggested in a previous post. the important thing is not to skimp on the glaze. It doesn't seem to matter where I place them in the kiln. I am a new potter so I am not speaking as an authority just experience. Good luck.

I love Ancient Jasper. I brush it on and have achieved awesome rusty reds as well as deep-space blacks. Here are two pieces with Ancient Jasper brushed on in four heavy-ish coats. The lid on the urn has a particularly heavy 4th brush coat.

Hi I am a new potter of 6 months and have a little studio. I loved the idea of this glaze but have ruined many a piece with it. Even one of my teachers has not had much luck with it. I will agree that it has to go on thick ....It will look way to thick. I had one piece that came out beautiful with it. I put oatmeal on the inside of a utensil holder and anceint jasper on the outside. I put a little oatmeal on the lip and it really did nicely. Lots of blue cream and a little redish tinges here and there. Haven't been able to repeat.

I like Ancient Jasper (and Potter's Choice glazes in general, though sometimes I feel they are too glossy on untextured pieces). Here are two examples of my usual results. I do a 9-hour Cone 6 glaze firing in a manual Skutt kiln (3 hours on low, 3 on medium, then turn to high; kiln-sitter shuts kiln off pretty reliably after 9 hours total). I haven't done anything special in terms of placing the pieces in the kiln. Oh, btw, the red inside the mug is Firebrick Red, not Ancient Jasper.Ancient Jasper Sample.jpg1.09MB140 downloadsAncient Jasper Sample 2.jpg1.15MB149 downloads
Also, when I had a question for Amaco and emailed it, I got a very swift and helpful response from the company.

I like Ancient Jasper (and Potter's Choice glazes in general, though sometimes I feel they are too glossy on untextured pieces). Here are two examples of my usual results. I do a 9-hour Cone 6 glaze firing in a manual Skutt kiln (3 hours on low, 3 on medium, then turn to high; kiln-sitter shuts kiln off pretty reliably after 9 hours total). I haven't done anything special in terms of placing the pieces in the kiln. Oh, btw, the red inside the mug is Firebrick Red, not Ancient Jasper.Ancient Jasper Sample.jpg1.09MB140 downloadsAncient Jasper Sample 2.jpg1.15MB149 downloadsAlso, when I had a question for Amaco and emailed it, I got a very swift and helpful response from the company.

I am getting somewhat different results probably due to lack of texturing. This is over Firebrick on Laguna Speckled Buff. I like what it did for you too.

It's an awesome glaze IMO. I think the problem most folks have is that they are far too shy in their application. This one likes to be applied very thickly. When you think you've put enough on...put more on.

fun stuff

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I've been using this glaze over a year now and it didn't start out well. Here's what I found: First the clay makes a big difference. I settled on b-mix or cone 5 porcelain as I get consistently nice finishes. I also dip my pieces so I just hold them in for a 4 count. Fast fire to cone 5 as the engineer suggested in a previous post. the important thing is not to skimp on the glaze. It doesn't seem to matter where I place them in the kiln. I am a new potter so I am not speaking as an authority just experience. Good luck.

Thanks for mentioning that you dip for 4 - I am considering using AJ for a larger run of pots (wine goblets for me wedding actually!) and have so many to make that brushing would be a real time suck.

Wow! Ancient Jasper glaze has really started some interesting comments. And to think I started it!!. I salute Steve @ Amaco for the info stuffed response about this glaze and I learned tons from the other members of this happy clay club about firing etc. I love the look of this glaze and will continue to test it based on advise from all above. However, I'm still concerned about firing so hot so quickly. Am I not endangering the remaining ware in the kiln with such a speedy method?
Asunta

I've been using this glaze over a year now and it didn't start out well. Here's what I found: First the clay makes a big difference. I settled on b-mix or cone 5 porcelain as I get consistently nice finishes. I also dip my pieces so I just hold them in for a 4 count. Fast fire to cone 5 as the engineer suggested in a previous post. the important thing is not to skimp on the glaze. It doesn't seem to matter where I place them in the kiln. I am a new potter so I am not speaking as an authority just experience. Good luck.

Thanks for mentioning that you dip for 4 - I am considering using AJ for a larger run of pots (wine goblets for me wedding actually!) and have so many to make that brushing would be a real time suck.

Any chance you could share your firing schedule also? I just fire like Steve @ Amaco said :cone 5, fast, hold for 5 min then let cool. I keep my top plug out until the kiln has stopped firing then put the top plug back in.

Has anyone tried this glaze? I just took Ancient Jasper out of the kiln. It is a beautiful dark eggplant color, but not what it was supposed to be. I fired the the load to ^6 with a slow cool (medium down to low then off to finish) it was a load of only reds and red/blacks. Refiring perhaps or not firing it with reds? I think I need to change my user name to the Frustrated Firer!

I have had great success heavily applied on a buff glaze, with a 30 min. hold and firing to cone 5. Cone 6 always has been too high to get any true colors from the Potters Choice glazes. In addition to Ancient Jasper I've fired Rutile Blue, Chun Plum, and the Chun Plum over Rutile Blue. Again, all succeses were glazed heavily.